Our policy analysis work draws on multiple lines of inquiry including jurisdictional scans, systematic evidence reviews, predictive analytics, and rigorous analysis of administrative data. We also work with our clients to optimize program design and service delivery. Where evidence exists for promising program solutions, we identify options for redesign and performance enhancement. Where evidence is lacking we propose a “test-learn-adapt” strategy for fostering innovation and developing new solutions.

Example: Designing an evidence-informed employment services system

To support the enhancement of Manitoba’s employment service system, we are combining insights from jurisdictional scans, evidence reviews, and analysis of the Manitoba context to identify options for the design of evidence-informed service models. We are using geo-spatial census and administrative data to identify options for a transformed service delivery network. We are also identifying options for a new client service pathway and needs assessment tools to ensure that jobseekers are connected to the right services at the right time. Our overall approach is grounded in the principles of person-centred design as well as a commitment to enhancing the service experience and improving outcomes for jobseekers, employers and communities.

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Employment and Training

Enhancing Manitoba’s employment services

We use advanced analytics to identify actionable insights for our clients.

Our analytics work leverages the ground-breaking opportunities created by the rapid growth in data collected through government administrative systems to address policy challenges. We use our expertise in data analytics to analyze the connections between the circumstances Canadians face and the outcomes they experience. We also provide ongoing feedback to both our government and community partners by monitoring real-time trends in program data.

Example: Analyzing the impact of skills development programs on gender equity

We are using a new database created by Employment and Social Development Canada to explore whether publicly-funded skills development programs in Canada contribute to greater gender equity in employment and earnings. The database, called the Active Labour Market Program Data Platform, connects administrative data from labour market programs with income and demographic data to build robust profiles of program users.

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Employment and Training

Analyzing gender, skills development programs, and labour mobility

We help our clients measure what matters most.

Our measurement strategies are focused on generating need-to-know information to inform decision-making. We work closely with our clients to ensure that our performance measurement strategies are easy to use, integrated with what they are already doing, and able to generate results that inform decisions about the design, delivery and scaling of policies and programs. We also provide capacity-building and training tailored to our clients’ needs to ensure they are fully prepared to implement and use measurement strategies.

Example: Measuring the impact of the Youth Success Strategy

We are working with United Way Greater Toronto (UWGT) to measure the impact of the Youth Success Strategy (YSS)—an initiative designed to help youth facing multiple barriers find meaningful employment. We are designing indicators, data collection tools, and a platform for data collection to gather information on the strategy as a whole and the performance of each initiative and program under the strategy. To facilitate this, we are working closely with service provider partners to build tools that are easy to use and that generate information that is valuable and relevant to their day-to-day practices.

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Youth Success

Designing a performance measurement framework for the Youth Success Strategy

We help our clients strengthen their work by answering questions about what works and why.

Our work in monitoring and evaluation helps our clients test their innovations, identify opportunities for improvement, and replicate and scale successes. Evaluation is a powerful tool but one that is only meaningful if findings are used to inform decisions that improve people’s lives. At Blueprint, we always start with the fundamental question: what do we need to know to learn and improve?

We are working with Douglas College to evaluate their LINC Engage course—an arts-based training program designed to increase the English skills of immigrant and refugee youth. The goal of our evaluation is to assess the program’s effectiveness in increasing youth engagement and language skills acquisition, while also identifying successes and challenges in implementation in order to generate real-time insights that will drive continuous improvement of the program.

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Youth Success

Evaluating an arts-based language program for immigrant and refugee youth